EFFECT OF PLANT TANNINS ON DECOMPOSITION OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCES

Abstract
Crude preparations of chestnut and wattle tannins reacted with the proteins, gelatin and gliadin, to produce complexes that were relatively resistant to microbial attack as determined by amounts of carbon dioxide and ammonia produced. The inhibitive effect of the tannins on de -composition increased with increase in the tannin-protein ratios and was greater at pH 4.0 than at neutrality. Results with the two tannins were similar. The inhibitive effect of tannins on decompoisition of peptone and an amino acid was less than on proteins.